reviews...

after months of exam-induced cultural drought, had a double dose of the arts today when i went to both a matinee of Lord of the Dance at Kallang Theatre and the night performance by this French group called the Checkers Choir at Jubilee Hall...
Have heard lots about Lord of the Dance, and basically wondered what was all the fuss about, especially since its not the only one of these Celtic dancing shows, not with Riverdance and others whose names evade me currently...
But anyways, realised that all this hype is pretty justified... Won't go into detail, but suffice to say they really were impressive. Just wonder for how many years longer will their knee joints hold out... And it is so wonderful to realise how the true Lord of the dance has blessed these people with such marvellous talents...[On a side note, Kallang Theatre really is in desparate need of repair. It smelt horrible, a musty odour which just made me think 'retro 80s' straight away. I was wondering how they could have chosen such an ugly muddish brown colour for the carpet, till i saw a step where the metal rim at the edge of the step had been removed, then i realised that the original colour of the carpet (hidden for decades under that metal strip) actually was a bright red... Yuck... They should take a leaf out of the S'pore Conference Hall's book, and renovate, extensively... Now it actually looks quite decent.]
And tonite's Checkers... Ils sont tres magnifiques! While they were not technically perfect, with occasional flat notes and timing problems, the way that you could see them feeling the songs in their entirety (these were gospel songs sung in English, yet these French folk still looked like they really felt every word of what they sang) and most importantly, singing them for God's glory. [this was a charity performance too, by the way] There were some really outstanding voices too, like this lady who looked quite a bit like CSI's Jorja Fox (Sara) and another guy who looked like a tall and blond Seth Green (Dr Evil's son)...
Oh but i digress, bottom line was, they were really good. Alas, would love to honour them by reviewing their concert en Francais, mais malheureusement, je ne peux pas parler assez du langue (sheesh, not even sure if that was gramatically correct)
Wow now that exams are over there are so many things to do, that i have been deprived of during term time, movies, concerts, cycling (nite cycling on the 8th, yay!!!), other exercise, reading newspapers, watching tv, driving(?) and the list goes on...

Jude's dead!!!

OVER!!!



Exams, that is... Guess i am a rather unemotional person, cos just like how i don't get anxious or flustered easily, i also don't get happy easily, at least where the end of exams are concerned... Tot maybe i'll be ecstatic, but instead was merely feeling "like that, lor..."
Maybe that's because i know my exams were not brilliantly done... Know that i didn't really put in any real effort till the last minute. I am quite sure that my CAP will go down quite a fair bit this sem... Just hope to keep the average at 4, or at least close to it...
Which brings me to grades, somehow i can't help but be obsessed over grades, i know a healthy interest in them is fine, but i feel that i am obsessed in certain ways such that it becomes a malignant growth... Think i've talked about this before, and also have brought it in prayer before the Lord both privately and in sharing with others... God has lessened this obsession, but it is still there, but i believe that the Lord is in control, no matter what... =-)
Anyways, in any case, have this motivation to work really hard next sem, especially after this slack sem... By God's grace it will last through the break and throughout next sem...
Hmmm... Will really miss studying in the library actually, even that tacky melody they play nightly to chase everyone out at 945pm... Have a feeling that from next sem onwards, will be hearing much more of that...

while waiting ...

Had my third of four papers this morning, chinese businesses, quite interesting, to say the least (one of the questions required me to write a will) and got through by God's grace...
Anyway, while waiting for them to finish counting (which took forever, by the way) managed to come up with this. So with all those who have been desperately awaiting the latest in my series of ripped off versions of songs from Falling.Spinning, this is Spinning (exam remix) [decided not to put this on the BCE blog so to avoid the death stares of those less appreciative of my nonsense]

Surely there must be something more,
Than exams that last hours half of four.
Surely there must be something greater,
Surely they can't go on forever...

We don't look up at the clouds anymore,
From our tons of notes, multi-ply.
We simply hide in the library, two up from level four.
To mug from morn, till black is the sky...

Oh, now you cannot run away,
The paper before you screaming "Write essay!
How could you have forgotten me, all for play?
Content to see your grades fade slowly into gray?"

One more to go!!!

japanese snacks...

as i have said before, what would studying in the library be without them... More specifically, if Meiji (the food products, not the Restoration, in case any history students were wondering...) were to close down today, there would be many depressed cf-ers suffering from withdrawal symptoms from dark chocolate, poifull, fran, yan yan, and the latest discovery, those pseudo-coffee bean/M&M hybrid sweets whose name evades me... yum...
Oh and i was just wondering, what in the world ever happened to Smarties? Haven't seen them in a long time... I guess we'll never know since according to the ads, only Smarties have the answer...

it fails me again

yep due to com problems, instead of blogging my thoughts i blog a condensed version of my complaints of technology, before my com hangs again...
Not that i rely on computers a lot, but now it seems that even the little time that i use has evaporated cos of various problems on both my old and not-so-faithful home pc and my new but tempremental laptop. The fact that i absolutely couldn't fix such problems to save my life hardly helps... Well, i figure that maybe God has allowed this so i won't waste too much unecessary time doing pointless stuff instead of studying... He truly has a divine plan in all things... Amen!

studying in the library...

Now that my com is a little more well behaved... What i wanted to talk about was my experiences over the past few days, the vast bulk of it being spent in exam prep at the central library 6th floor as part 0f what i'd like to call the 6th floor chapter of the vcf library fellowship... Realised that even though i have recently may have discovered a study desk in my room, i still absorb the best in the library, which is why have spent the past week (and the week to come till friday - last paper!!!) in the library. Somehow, and by God's grace, have been motivated to wake up early enough over the past few days to go to the library before 9am everyday to chope seats for the 10-20 or so vcfers who claim membership of this totally unexclusive chapter... Must say, the atmosphere there can be really intimidating, despite occasional annoyances. Much better though, than the frigid and pindrop-audible silent reference section on the 5th floor, that a deviant few have decided suits them better... In any case, thank God for the opportunity to study in peace and with fruits borne there...
Even comes with several unsolicited extras like cool food like the high-class pocky from Joel and the poifull jellybeans from just about every girl there... It's times like these when i really thank the Japanese - their contributions to our f & b landscape are just so cool... Also the various destressing techniques like post-it pasting, mouth 'poc'-ing [my own contribution :-)] and a whole lot of other assorted craziness...
Hmmm think may actually miss these crazy studying times once my exams are over... but oh well, will prob be too busy enjoying myself to really care haha...

AAAARGH!!!!!

Have so much to write, but my dear com is obviously not happy with me and keeps on hanging, so shall talk more once me and my dear com have come to terms... It's times like these when i really lament upon my lack of technological knowhow... bleah...

destress!!!

Terribly in need of some relaxation, finally finished the silly soci readings, now have to attempt to condense them into something more readable tomorrow morning so i can properly revise before the paper, which i notice is just in over 30 hours time aaahhh... This past week so far has been tiring, but God really has pulled me through, even as i have struggled to go through soci, in anticipation of weird mcqs... very worrying, praying for His presence to be continually upon me, as i know it is... In the meantime, He has provided little blessings here and there, like a few days ago, i realised that (ok know this sounds silly) the old desk in my room, which has till now been relegated to holding piles of notes/readings/books etc, can actually be used as a desk... haha... but nothing beats studying in the library, for me somehow the 6th floor is the place to be, and something tells me will be seeing lots more of it in the years to come... and the times of destressing are so farny... like MSFC, for example... haha... sleepy and totally zoned out...

ambivalence

Heehee after a little hiatus, have the time (and energy) to blog again... Anyways, by His grace, have finished and submitted my last assignment (after toiling late into the morning to finish my ultra-tacky science of music composition) A bit of a break enjoyed today when quite a number of CFers joined in for a game of ultimate frisbee and captain's ball, where i happened to nearly injure several people... ( *sheepish look* Sorry, all) By the latter stages of the captain's ball game realised that i had no more stamina so conveniently stayed in the defensive half... haha... Yay, at least all that i have to worry about now is just exams, which start 6days, 10 hours, and 15 minutes time...

samplings part deux

On a lighter note, cycled over to Jocelyn's house this afternoon to observe, together with Minzhi and Claris, how to bake Jocelyn's mum's Norwegian Apple Cake, in order to replicate the dish for FOC fundraising on next tuesday's FT. Of course, the key word here is observe, since i can't even crack an egg properly, let alone bake a cake... Anyways, it tasted really really good *shout out to auntie Irene: thanks heaps*, helped myself to three servings...
Before going back, also borrowed two A*Mei CDs from Jocelyn... As jiak kentang as i am, actually happen to like some Chinese music that i've heard at random moments in my otherwise mandarin-eschewing life. The problem, however, is that i don't know the titles of these songs, and i can't read the mandarin characters on the CDs, so have to resort to listening to the entire CD to find tracks that i like... So far found one...

samplings of my Sunday

So, Sunday has come again, and sometimes, i wonder whether i may subconciously be slipping attending church merely a routine... Yes, the Lord does still speak to me, and i can feel His presence so near, but are my innermost thoughts and motives really all about seeking to commune with God once again, presenting the week ahead to Him???
Today's message, especialy in retrospect now has struck me. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled". Sometimes i truly wonder if i really am hungry for God, to really be desparate in wanting to seek God with all my being and put Him first, or has the evil one slowly crept in as i have let my guard down subconciously, and caused me to put this all aside?...
That being said, i thank God that he never will leave nor forsake me (Deut 31:6), even when i believe i really disappoint Him... Lord, forgive me for falling so far short of Your glory. i pray that my innermost desires would be right before your eyes...

sports

Add table tennis to the ever growing list of sports that 1)i can't play for nuts/ 2)absolutely abhor/ 3)both... The non-exhaustive list currently includes 1)tennis, bowling (lowest ever score: 18), badminton, basketball, volleyball... [how do all these sports look so much easier on tv?] 2)golf (takes up too much precious land, especially here in Singapore - hands off what's left of God's precious creation of nature here...) [haven't played this before, hence in cat 2, although figure wouldn't be too good in it... 3)soccer (my all-time most cannot-stand-it sport -any other guys care to join this one lonely soul in the anti-soccer camp???)
Anyways, played earlier this afternoon in the Tim Centre at church against some other guys, namely Daniel, Collin and Jovin, promptly losing to all three. Rather badly, too, in most circumstances... So much for setting up the facade that actually was quite zai by removing my wallet/watch/phone/footwear for greater comfort... That just set myself up for a greater fall haha... All i have to show of it is really black feet...

bus blues

Such a hassle to get to school today... Rushed to get to the bus stop cos saw two double-decker buses in the distance and thought that at least one of them should be 10, of course my probability calculations didn't matter, since, lo and behold, once i got to the bus stop, hot and sweaty, realised that those two buses were 12 and 14... sigh...
So i waited, and 5 minutes later, what should i see, but another two double-decker buses. Surely, on e of them must be 10? But of course, was proved wrong yet again, they were yet another tandem of 12 and 14...
Finally, 5 minutes later, what shold appear but a single-decker and crowded 10... Had to stand all the way to Shenton Way once again... But anyways, i thank God for the opportunity to even be able to talk to him standing up in the bus... Am reminded of the song "Did You Ever Talk To God Above?" Part of the lyrics go "You can whisper in a crowd to Him etc..." It's truly so wonderful that we can talk to God at anytime and anyplace, isn't it? :-)
Also reminded that although we always complain about the bus system here, it actually is far worse in other places, [When i was in Niagara Falls, NY, the bus came once every hour, so silly tourist me waited at the stop iin the frigid december weather for the longest time, before realising that there was a schedule that stated the once-an-hour business] so we can still be thankful... Of course we should give thanks in all circumstances...
Anyway, also remember that yesterday, i took a 12 thinking it was 32 for some strange reason, (maybe i need glasses) good thing managed to realise that in time and change buses accordingly... Thank God for the bus pass...

Why?

Before i (attempt to) plunge headlong into work, have just been wondering to myself 'why blog in the first place?'
Anyone who knows me well enough will know how terribly low technology i am, i draw the line before MSN, bluetooth, camera phones, mp3s etc... (as they say, can buy 4D) So why a blog?
Oh well, for starters, if my church cell, the cell-u-lights had not established a blog, then i never would ever have even accessed one even today, but since it has been established, and i have been allocated one by Amanda, the highly esteemed cell leader, then why not?
Furthermore (gosh that word is such an essay word), after going through Falling.Spinning and seeing everyone blog, thought maybe should expand my limited technology boundaries and venture into the unchartered territory of blogging *crosses fingers*
That being said, if anyone else is reading this, congrats for finding this, cos this blog is primarily meant for me to communicate with, well, myself... heehee...
Time for work!!!

a sigh... of relief...

Hmmm... Today has been interesting... Got back my GPS essay - two words - not good... Ah but well, it is the essay i rushed through in twoish days and completed one hour before the deadline, so can't really complain... Thank God he answered my prayer and let me get over this, and not obsess over it for days on end...
Anyways, just finished the long awaited (to be over) nation building, was, by God's grace quite okay, although all i studied was not put into use in my answer... i truly thank God that he is daily teaching me to put everything into His hands and not worry about all these things... He has really blessed me with the ability to not get anxious easily, to always be (at least relatively) calm and collected. Of course, on the flipside, it means that i am constantly procrastinating cos i don't have the sense of urgency... heehee...
Yay anyways, not i can do my long neglected science of music stuff, which i shall do now...

nation building

Sigh... one more test to go tomorrow (apart from the science of music open book mcq one), for nation building... By God's grace have been started preparing earlier than i thought i would, not that have prepared much but anyways...
Exams are in twenty days, but no more essays for my tutors to appraise... Whee!!!

quite cool...

Wow quite, or more like really cool, finally got to see Falling.Spinning for myself tonight at the appreciation dinner... Of course nothing beats seeing it live, but how does one see oneself perform live on stage anyway?
In retrospect, i really am amazed at how the Lord has enabled everything to come together so nicely. Its truly so wonderful that our Lord never ceases to amaze us, and show how little faith we all have... It really is impossible to ever thank Him enough, isn't it? =)
Oh, the food was really great too *burps* Realised though, that yours truly is too impatient to barbeque a marshmallow properly...
Oh, and really enjoyed the singing too! I want more!!!
Sigh, another week of school starts in nine hours time...
[Realise the hour of writing has had an effect on my vocab... Gosh, four 'really's is really too much... aaaah...]

What am i getting myself into???

Ok, realise this is like quite a weird time to start blogging, being less than a month away from the exams and all, although my truckloads of essays are all gone... *jumps for joy* Now all that's left for me in my academic career this sem is to get back those essays *sudden negative mood swing*, finish off one or two little assignments for GEK 1519 , and well... study *further drop in mood* Bleah...
Predict that the (u/c) will be up there for a very long time... Think must be like one of the most low tech people in the world to blog, oh well, but that's another story for another day...
Ah well, this is the latest journey that i have in faith embarked on, and as the song goes, well, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" So, with this single, small step of faith, i sign off and heed my bed's subliminal cries...